Part 3: Build Your Online Brand

When an employer searches for you online, you want them to like what they find. If they don’t, you could be passed over, but if they do, it may result in an interview.

Here are four ways to promote yourself online as an active, competent, and eager software developer or designer:

Update Titles and Summaries

If you’re applying to software development roles, do your titles clearly state that you are a software developer? Do your summaries clearly state that you’re an experienced and growing software developer? They need to.

Stay Active (and Public) on GitHub

Most prospective employers will look at (and, if you get an interview, talk with you about) the work that you’re doing on GitHub. Until you get a job, contribute to the public sphere or complete code challenges daily to show your activity in your profile.

Join Industry-Related Groups on LinkedIn

Your title, summary, projects, skills, and endorsements are in order… now what? Join groups related to the industry and companies that you want to belong to, then contribute to discussions, posts, and other group members’ statuses.

Attend (and Document) a Meetup

Attend at least three meetups per month and announce your presence on Facebook or Twitter. Connect with the people who you meet on LinkedIn. The greater and more visible that your tech network is, the easier it is for prospective employers to find you, and the more relevant that you’ll seem in the tech world.

Write a Blog Post

Write about something that you’re learning, a project that you’re working on, or your experience. Then, publish it on your online profiles (personal website, LinkedIn, Facebook).

If you’re unsure of your online brand’s strength, ask a friend to look at your LinkedIn, GitHub, Facebook, and Twitter profiles. Ask them if it’s obvious (on each profile) that you’re an active programmer. If they say “no,” make adjustments.

Career development is a large part of our 10-week Code 401 curriculum. This article is part three of a five-part series and a glimpse into the training students receive to polish their online presence and be successful in their job search. Learn More »